Abby graduated with highest honors, received a multi-sport athlete award, was part of a state championship jazz choir group, and in only one semester of art received the most Outstanding Work awards (3) at the conference art show of any student at Treynor this year. She had a real nice experience at a very competitive high school as part of a very competitive class academically and in the extra curricular areas. Abby, we love you, we're proud of you, and look forward to seeing what God has in store for you.
One of the neatest messages Abby got was from one of our friends who had heard a great analogy on the radio the night before. Simply said, "you can't unscramble eggs". I think that is just a great way to look at some of the things we get ourselves into. Once a situation arises all we can do is accept it, make the best of it, lean on our family, friends, and most importantly our Heavenly Father, and do the absolute best that we can with the situation.
God has used so many people with so many different backgrounds and problems throughout the ages to accomplish His plans and bring people into a relationship with Him because of contact with someone who is able to minister to them at a very important time and crossroads in their life. I firmly believe that we are all put into situations or have situations in our lives to grow, learn, and eventually use those situations to minister to others. After all, isn't that what we're here for.
Mark 12
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.[e] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[f] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[g] There is no commandment greater than these.”
Our neighbors might be our immediate neighbors, but I think of our neighbors in broader sense and they are also those people that are going to go through the same things that we will go through, or have gone through and God is going to bring us into their lives to minister to them. We have to be ready for the opportunities when they are presented to us and act though. I know there have been times when I've looked back on a situation or person that has crossed my path and I know I missed it and just hate the fact that I didn't act or speak. I think it should just remind us to not get to caught up in our day to day busyness and miss those opportunities.
So, Deb and I now have all of our kids through high school, one through college, one half way through this week, and one on her way. Wow. time goes so fast. Don't miss the opportunities with your family and friends. We're entering a new phase of our life and we're looking forward to it and know it will bring new challenges, but it will also bring new ways to reach out to a Father who loves us and will never leave us. I pray we all embrace the twists and turns of life and remember that we can't "unscramble the eggs" but we can see God in the midst of them and He will help us Find THE Way.
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29)
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